


Sudoku

by Twiona



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Comedy, Concerned Jim, Funny, Gen, Humour, Spock Loves Sudoku, concerned Bones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 14:26:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13250121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twiona/pseuds/Twiona
Summary: Chekov introduces Spock to Sudoku. He gets addicted very quickly and Jim and Bones worry about the health of their half Vulcan friend, especially when a strange physical change occurs not long after he starts playing Sudoku.I don't own Star Trek or any of the characters.





	Sudoku

Chekov flopped down on a large cosy chair in the rec room with a drink, exhausted after a long day on the bridge. He was glad for some time alone at last to calm down and relax. He took a long savouring sip of his vodka, instantly feeling better already.

He smiled gently and pulled a book and a pencil out of his pocket. His good friend Sulu had told him earlier that a few sudoku puzzles usually help him to relax, so he figured he'd try it too.

Half an hour later, Chekov was still scribbling away after easily solving the hard-difficulty puzzles. It wasn't particularly challenging for him, but he was having fun and he felt himself start to zone out with the more puzzles he was doing.

He was so blissfully captivated by his activity that he hadn't noticed Commander Spock walk up to him until he began to speak in his deep monotone voice.

"Greetings, Ensign Chekov."

Chekov snapped his head up towards the half Vulcan in surprise. "Oh hello there Meester Spock, ken I help you vith something?" Chekov smiled politely, resting his pencil on the open puzzle book.

Spock watched him rest the pencil down and kept his inquisitive eyes fixed on the book as he spoke.

"I apologise for the intrusion, I did not mean to disturb you. I was just wondering what it is you were doing."

Chekov's smile became more relaxed as he realised Spock was not here on official business. He took another small sip of vodka while he gestured to the seat next to him.

"I am just doing a sudoku puzzle," he explained as Spock sat down. "Have you ever done one before? They're wery fun!"

Spock shook his head and leaned forwards slightly to see the pages better. "There are many types of puzzle games we play on Vulcan but I have not seen one such as this before."

"You vant to learn how to play?" Chekov's eyes lit up with excitement that he could teach Spock something - up until now it had always been the other way around. The realisation that he knew something that the smartest person on the ship didn't know put him in an excellent mood.

Spock looked about as pleased as a Vulcan could. "That would be most agreeable Mr Chekov."

\---------------------------------------------

Three days after the young Russian Ensign had introduced him to sudoku, Spock had barely stopped playing it. He spent all his spare time either meditating or playing the addictive game.

He admired the fact that the game depended entirely on logic and reasoning to complete. No mathematical knowledge was required at all, making it accessible for everyone. Spock wished he knew about this as a child, he could imagine that a game such as this would have helped him to calm down after all the bullying he was subjected to.

Just like Chekov, Spock had taken to using a book and pencil to do the puzzles rather than a PADD. It simply felt more personal and engaging to write the numbers yourself.

However, there was a slight problem with it - all the scribbling he had been doing with the pencil had left a rather large pencil mark on his right hand as it smudged the graphite. It was so dark against his pale greenish skin that it looked like he had leaned his hand on grey ink.

Spock hadn't even noticed it - he was far too busy completing the expert level puzzles to bother with how his hand looked.

Time quickly ticked around and it was time for the first officer to return to the bridge. He tucked the book and pencil into his pocket and made his way to his station, feeling even more relaxed than usual.

He greeted his colleagues when he arrived and sat down to begin his work.

Captain Kirk casually walked onto the bridge a few moments later, finishing an apple. He'd started eating an apple every day as a joke "to keep Bones away", but it turned out that he actually enjoyed them so he kept the little habit up.

"Good morning everyone!" He greeted cheerily.

There were a few greetings murmured in response, but Jim wasn't really listening. He had stopped in his tracks and was staring directly at Spock in horror. Or rather, his grey coloured right hand.

Jim pounced towards his Captain's chair and called for Bones to report to the bridge immediately. Sensing the urgency in his Captain's voice, Bones refrained from making a sarcastic comment and promised he'd be there right away.

Jim spent the whole time waiting for his CMO anxiously shuffling in his chair and staring worriedly at his half Vulcan friend. Could he be infected by that new virus Starfleet had recently warned him about? The symptoms evident on Spock's skin looked severe. He hoped that Bones would be able to help him - even though they were constantly at each other's throats, they were always willing to support each other when needed. And if Spock was as ill as Jim thought, he would need all the help he could get.

Suddenly, Bones burst into the bridge and strode over to Jim. He was about to speak but he glanced over in the direction Jim's eyes were glued to and whatever he was going to say was instead replaced with a loud gasp.

"My God, man!"

Spock turned around in his chair at the sound, noticing Jim and Bones frozen in place and staring at him with horrified expressions. Doctor McCoy ran over to him and grabbed his arm before he could say anything.

"Yer comin' to sick bay," he told Spock gruffly with a hint of concern in his voice.

Spock did not object as he was thrust into the turbo lift and dragged through the hallways leading to McCoy's territory. He knew what the grumpy CMO was like when he was in moods such as these, so Spock did not ask any questions as he knew from experience that they would fall on deaf ears.

As soon as Bones had dumped Spock on the nearest bio bed, he ran off to grab some scanners and tricorders. Spock sat there quietly, thinking about what could possibly be wrong with him. Considering that his physical exam was only taken two weeks ago, Spock wondered what ailment could have manifested in such a short time.

In fact, since he had begun playing sudoku, he hadn't felt better in years.

Bones returned, brandishing a tricorder. Without any formalities, he grabbed Spock's right hand and began to wave the instrument in front of it.

Spock pulled his hand away sharply as if he had been stung. McCoy must not have realised how intimate that gesture was to a Vulcan. A green hue began to appear on Spock's cheeks as his hands still tingled from the contact.

Bones was oblivious to the fact that he invaded Spock's privacy and he instead seemed more alarmed at Spock's sudden jerky movements and the fact that he was blushing very brightly.

"Dammit Spock! I know it hurts and you're suffering but just try to hold still while I see how much damage has been done," Bones growled as he reached for Spock's hand once more.

Spock pulled his hand out of his reach before he could touch him again. Raising an eyebrow, he decided that now would be a good time to ask what was going on.

"I would like to be made aware of my ailment before you perform such an invasive breach of my privacy, Doctor," Spock said firmly.

Just as Bones was about to reply, Jim burst through the doors. He had seemingly recovered from the shock he felt on the bridge and he sprinted over to his two closest friends.

"How bad is it?" He questioned Bones.

"I haven't been able to properly examine him yet, he whipped his hand away. Must be pretty damn sore. His face is warmin' up too, I reckon it's spread to his bloodstream."

Jim turned to Spock worriedly. Before the Captain could speak, Spock butted in with an almost irritated lace to his tone.

"May I _please_ be informed of the reason for your panic? I would appreciate answers immediately."

Jim looked to his CMO, silently giving him permission to inform his patient of the bad news. Bones sighed, making his frown deepen.

"There's a new deadly virus that we've recently been made aware of by Starfleet. It attacks the skin first then eventually works its way through yer internal organs and shuts 'em down. We were gonna hold a meetin' about it later but now it's too late," he said, nodding towards Spock's hand.

"It looks like yer' infected Spock," he finished sadly.

Spock dropped his head and stared at the side of his grey coloured hand for the first time today. He recognised the graphite from the pencil and felt a small smirk twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"If you are referring to the marks left behind from the pencil I was using earlier, I must inform you that your diagnosis is incorrect Doctor," Spock said with a hint of amusement.

Jim and Bones stared at Spock's smirk, then his hand, then back to his smirk again. Then they both erupted in an outburst of relief and anger, shouting all sorts of things at Spock.

_"Dammit Spock!"_

_"I thought you were going to die!"_

_"Coulda told us earlier you damn hobgoblin!"_

_"Since when do you even use a pencil for anything anyway? What were we supposed to think?"_

_"Pointy eared bastard."_

Spock waited until the tirade ended before speaking again. He always wanted to have the last word in an argument, his human side winning over in these brief moments. Besides, he had a bone to pick with the good doctor.

"I appreciate that you were both concerned," he began, looking between the two of them before fixing his eyes on Bones. "However, there was no need to be so invasive with your examination methods Doctor, even if you _did_ believe I was dying."

Jim turned his head to look at his southern friend, all frustration for Spock momentarily forgotten in favour of understanding what Spock had just implied.

"What are ya on about?" Bones grumbled uncertainly.

"In the Vulcan culture, touching hands with another is considered to be an... _intimate_ gesture. Hence why I blushed at the contact and immediately withdrew my hand. Even though you were obviously unaware of your mishap while you were grabbing me, I strongly urge you to refrain from doing it again."

Jim burst out laughing at the mortified look on Bones' face.

"I didn't-but...what?" He spluttered, turning a deep shade of red. He snarled before storming away in embarrassment. As he was leaving the room he threw one last vitriolic comment over his shoulder.

"I hope ya get lead poisoning from yer damn pencil!"

"There is no lead in pencils, Doctor, only graphite - a _non toxic_ mineral."

Bones shot one final glare at the pointy eared know-it-all before walking out in a huff. Spock was left with a red-faced Jim standing next to his bed doubled over in laughter with tears streaming down his face.

He couldn't believe a simple sudoku puzzle had caused such a fuss.


End file.
